In general, a container, which is composed of a box with an open top, is often used in the production line for an object (various electronic parts such as semiconductor chips), in order to transport a large number of electronic parts to the next processing step or to a storage chamber or the like.
For example, when a large number of electronic parts or the like (hereinafter simply referred to as "workpieces") are transported by using the container in the production line, then the large number of workpieces are randomly introduced into the container, and they are automatically transported to the next processing step or to the storage chamber by using, for example, a belt conveyer and a transport arm.
A method is known, which is used when the object, which is subjected to the transport, has a small size, for example, when the object is a semiconductor chip. In this method, a transport passage is provided with a large number of holes, and air is discharged through the large number of holes to transport the object.
According to this method, a large number of small-sized objects can be smoothly transported. Therefore, this method is advantageous to shorten the time required to perform the transport.
However, the conventional transport apparatus based on the use of air merely transports the objects in one direction by discharging air. Therefore, an inconvenience arises in that the objects are closely contacted with each other at the terminal end of the transport passage in the transport direction, and it is difficult to pick up the object which has arrived at the terminal end.
Especially, in the case of the semiconductor chip, for example, it is necessary to pick up individual objects one by one. In such a case, individual objects are picked up one by one by manual operation, involving a problem that it is impossible to realize the fully automatic operation for the transport system.
The present invention has been made taking such problems into consideration, an object of which is to provide a transport system for transporting an object in one direction while floating the object by means of air, especially an object transport apparatus which makes it possible to realize automatic operation to pick up individual objects one by one.